Weimann and Benteke gave Paul Lambert’s happy travellers a two goal lead as the Brummies scared the Scousers, only for the Reds to hit back through a Daniel Sturridge goal and Steve Gerrard’s penalty.

Ryan Bertrand was in from the start with fellow loanee Grant Holt on the substitutes bench with Lambert making three changes from the defeat to Arsenal at Villa Park on Monday.

Matt Lowton was missing from the squad due to a disciplinary issue, with Leandro Bacuna filling in at right-back, while Antonio Luna made way for Bertrand at left-back and Weimann came in for the concussed Nathan Baker as Villa switched from 5-3-2 to a 4-3-3 formation.

Villa were looking to repeat last season’s result when a team including Eric Lichaj, Brett Holman, Chris Herd and Barry Bannan, clinched a brilliant win with Benteke’s brace and a goal from Weimann.

Benteke was buzzing with renewed confidence after ending a four month goal drought against the Gunners and the Villa strikeforce almost stunned the Kop within the first minute.

Bacuna hit a long ball forward which Benteke nodded into Gabby Agbonlahor’s path. The Brummie striker raced to get there ahead of Martin Skrtel and onrushing keeper Simon Mignolet but somehow poked his shot agonisingly wide of the post.

It rattled the Reds, as did Villa’s continued high tempo approach as the claret and blues pressed high up the pitch, forcing errors from their hosts, particularly out-of-sorts Gerrard. Villa came within an inch of taking the lead midway through the first half when Ciaran Clark charged in to meet Ashley Westwood’s corner and crashed a header against the post, before Agbonlahor’s attempts to turn in the rebound were thwarted.

But the 2,000 noisy away fans didn’t have to wait long to celebrate, with Weimann deservedly giving them a 25th minute lead from a trademark counter-attack.

Fabian Delph dispossessed Luis Suarez just outside the Villa box and sent Agbonlahor scampering clear. Villa’s pace ace turned Kolo Toure inside out down the left before drilling a low ball across the face of goal.

There was Weimann, just onside, to finish it off with a simple tap in, adding to his Anfield goal last season and giving Villa a thoroughly deserved lead. With the Reds faithful growing increasingly frustrated, the most the Merseysiders could muster was a floated effort from Daniel Sturridge which drifted over the bar before Brad Guzan beat away an angled strike from Raheem Sterling.

Still, Villa pressed, they chased, they wanted it more than Liverpool’s Champions League chasers – and their second goal on 36 minutes was in keeping with their superiority.

This time Agbonlahor was prowling down the right, bursting onto a ball from Karim El Ahmadi before whipping over a deep cross. Glenn Johnson and Mignolet got in each other’s way and the ball fell perfectly to Benteke who stooped to head in.

Suarez finally came to life just before the break, gliding past the Villa defence, before setting up Aly Cissokho who slashed a hopeless effort high and wide. On the stroke of half-time Philippe Coutinho let fly with a goal-bound strike blocked by Clark.

Aston Villa's Brad Guzan (R) remonstrates with Liverpool's Luis Suarez after conceding a penalty against him

The natives were restless, with the Kop grumblnig when Johnson passed back to Mignolet rather than looking forward. But Liverpool grabbed a lifeline in stoppage time when Jordan Henderson’s clever flick caught out the well-drilled Villa defence and Sturridge lifted a precise finish over Guzan. It was cruel on Villa and an awful time to concede as the mood at Anfield changed from exasperation to expectation.

Holt entered the action on 49 minutes as Agbonlahor hobbled off and the burly striker wasted an instant chance for a debut goal when he dribbled a shot at Mignolet after being set up by Benteke from Bacuna’s break.

Moments later Liverpool were level. Suarez chased down a long ball from Gerrard, getting there ahead of Guzan, who was penalised for the foul despite a strong suspicion of a dive and Liverpool’s captain’s afternoon improved when he calmly tucked away the spot-kick.

It became a cracking contest. Sturridge tested Guzan at one end, before Delph sent a curler just wide at the other, Suarez forced a routine save from Guzan, Henderson forced a cracking stop, Sterling dragged an effort wide. It was breathless stuff.

Villa recovered well from losing the second goal and continued to push forward. Suarez was determined to add to his 22-goal tally, and came within a whisker of scoring when he flashed a 30-yard free-kick just wide after winning the setpiece himself.